A new and improved smart light assembly and smart lighting system, incorporating two or more smart light assemblies, are provided for a motor vehicle. The smart light assembly and smart light system rely upon dedicated cameras for the lighting function so that the choice of lens and imager may be optimized for lighting applications. Further, by directly connecting the dedicated processor to the adjustable beam headlamp, any latency between the imaging and processing of the scene data is minimized, allowing the assembly to respond quickly to the presence of an oncoming car, pedestrian, a road sign or other target of interest.